The present invention relates to an image processing method and apparatus and, more particularly, to an image processing method and apparatus* for performing hatching upon a character and image processing so as to provide a white-outline around the character. The image processing method and apparatus can be applied to, e.g., a digital copying machine.
Conventionally, in hatching a character image, a method of adding a white-outline to the exterior outline of the character has been proposed to clear the border between the character and the hatch area.
However, this method has the following drawback.
In a case where image information is binarized with one threshold, and a signal for generating white-outline at the exterior outline of the character is generated based on the binary data, if an edge portion of the character has a low density, the white-outline encroaches upon the character area. As a result, the hatching-processed character is thinned.
In an image processing apparatus such as a digital copying machine, when an original image is read by a solid-state image sensor such as a CCD (charge coupled device), even though the density of an edge portion of a character in the original image is not low, tolerance of optical system of the device lowers the density of edge portion of a character in a reproduced image.